Matthew 8 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The leper cleansed — the Law honored 8:1–4

v. 1 — down from the mountain: the crowds attach

And when he had come down from the mountain,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the hinge closing the Sermon (chs. 5–7): from teaching to deeds

great crowds followed him.independent — ἀκολουθέω — the crowds attach; the discipleship verb will be tested at vv. 19–22

vv. 2–4 — the leper: the plea, the touch, the sending

And behold, a leper, coming up, knelt before him,independent — ἰδού spotlights the outcast; iterative imperfect προσεκύνει — homage held before the request

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the plea

'Lord,content — verbless vocative — κύριε on the leper's lips, more than politeness in Matthew

if you are willing,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — doubt of willingness, not of power (cf. Mark 1:40)

you are able to make me clean.'content — the apodosis-confession — καθαρίσαι, the cultic word for leprosy's defilement

And stretching out his hand,participial — preposed aorist participle — the reach across the purity line before the verb strikes

he touched him,independent — ἥψατο — he touches what no one touches, and is not defiled

saying:participial — the word accompanying the touch

'I am willing; be clean.'content — the plea answered word for word — θέλω to ἐὰν θέλῃς, καθαρίσθητι to καθαρίσαι

And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.independent — εὐθέως — the effective word; the passive seals the command performed

And Jesus says to him:independent — historic present — the charge

'Seecontent — the warning imperative governing the prohibition

that you tell no one;content — the Matthean messianic reticence — silence commanded

but go,content — the positive counter-command

show yourself to the priest,content — Lev 13–14 — the Law honored, not abolished (cf. 5:17)

and offer the giftcontent — the prescribed offering for certified cleansing

that Moses commanded,relative — Lev 14:2–32 — the two birds, the lambs, the log of oil

as a testimony to them.'phrase modifier — εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς — for, or against, them; left open

The centurion — faith greater than Israel's 8:5–13

vv. 5–7 — the approach and the offer

And when he had entered Capernaum,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the second scene-hinge, into the garrison town

a centurion came to him,independent — a Gentile officer approaches — the encounter will end in Israel outfaithed

appealing to himparticipial — the entreaty-participle — the plea begins before a word is quoted

and saying:participial — coordinate speech-participle — the frame for the plea

'Lord,content — verbless vocative — the leper's address repeated by the Gentile

my servant lies in the house, paralyzed,content — perfect βέβληται — settled prostration; the need stated, no request made

terribly tormented.'participial — the participle sharpens the description — agony left to Jesus' compassion

And he says to him:independent — historic present — the reply

'I will come and heal him.'content — emphatic ἐγώ — read as offer, though 'Am I to come...?' (a question) is possible; the crux named

vv. 8–9 — 'only say the word': the argument from authority

And answering, the centurion said:independent — the Semitic answering-formula — the offer, remarkably, declined as unnecessary

'Lord,content — the address renewed

I am not worthycontent — the confession of unworthiness — a Gentile keeping Jesus from his roof

that you should come under my roof;content — epexegetic ἵνα defining ἱκανός — fronted μου: 'my' roof, the unfit place

but only say the word,content — the heart of the pericope — the bare word trusted to act at a distance

and my servant will be healed.content — conditional-imperative — the καί-clause carries the promised result

For I too am a man under authority,cause — the γάρ ground — he reasons from below: even a subordinate's word moves men

having soldiers under myself,participial — under authority, yet wielding it — the analogy's two sides

and I say to this one,cause — the analogy enacted — three commands follow, each with its result

'Go,'content — the first order

and he goes,cause — the word obeyed — coordinate in the γάρ ground

and to another,cause — elliptical — λέγω carried over

'Come,'content — the second order

and he comes,cause — the second obedience

and to my slave,cause — elliptical again — the third addressee

'Do this,'content — the third order

and he does it.'cause — the catena closes — so, he infers, Jesus' word commands sickness

vv. 10–13 — the verdict, the banquet, the healing word

And Jesus, hearing this,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐθαύμασεν

marveledindependent — Jesus' astonishment — one of only two occasions recorded of him (cf. Mark 6:6)

and said to those following:independent — the verdict addressed to the followers, over the centurion's head

'Truly I say to you,content — the solemn ἀμήν-formula — a weighty pronouncement follows

with no one in Israel have I found such faith.content — fronted παρ' οὐδενί — the Gentile's faith outstrips anything in Israel

And I tell youcontent — the saying-formula renewed — the verdict widens into eschatology

that many will come from east and westcontent — the Gentile pilgrimage — Isa 25:6; 49:12: the nations streaming in

and will recline at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,content — ἀνακλιθήσονται — the messianic banquet, Gentiles beside the patriarchs

but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness;content — the reversal's sharp edge — the presumed heirs expelled

there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.'content — Matthew's exclusion-formula, first occurrence (cf. 13:42; 25:30) — the articles: THE weeping

And Jesus said to the centurion:independent — back to the petitioner — the dismissal-and-grant

'Go;content — the dismissal — the same verb as v. 4

as you have believed,comparative — forward-leaning comparative — the measure precedes the grant; leans on γενηθήτω

let it be done for you.'content — the healing word — granted on the measure of faith, at a distance

And his servant was healed in that hour.independent — the centurion's whole argument vindicated — 'in that hour' seals the immediacy

Peter's house and the evening healings — Isaiah 53:4 fulfilled 8:14–17

vv. 14–15 — Peter's mother-in-law raised to serve

And Jesus, coming into Peter's house,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδεν; the domestic scene

saw his mother-in-lawindependent — Jesus' seeing initiates the healing — no one intercedes in Matthew's telling

lying sick and fevered;participial — perfect βεβλημένην — settled prostration, the verb of the centurion's παῖς (v. 6)

and he touched her hand,independent — the wordless healing touch — ἥψατο as at v. 3

and the fever left her,independent — the fever as agent — it releases her like a departing power

and she roseindependent — ἠγέρθη — the resurrection verb in miniature

and began to serve him.independent — inceptive imperfect — restoration proved in service; αὐτῷ, him (Mark: them)

vv. 16–17 — the evening healings and the Servant's burden

And when evening had come,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; sundown ends the day (cf. Mark 1:32, after the sabbath)

they brought to him many demon-possessed;independent — the summary scene opens — the afflicted carried in

and he cast out the spirits with a word,independent — λόγῳ — the centurion's 'only say the word' (v. 8) enacted wholesale

and healed all who were sick,independent — Matthew's πάντας where Mark has 'many' — the healing total

so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:purpose — the fulfilment formula — ὅπως πληρωθῇ, the shape fixed at 1:22; Isaiah named as channel

'He himself took our infirmitiescontent — Isa 53:4 — emphatic αὐτός; rendered closer to the Hebrew than the LXX

and bore our diseases.'content — the Servant's vicarious bearing — the healings located inside his redemptive mission

The cost of following 8:18–22

vv. 18–20 — the scribe and the homeless Son of Man

Now Jesus, seeing a crowd around him,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐκέλευσεν; ὄχλον is the reading printed against ὄχλους/πολὺν ὄχλον

gave orders to go away to the other side.independent — the command to cross — and on the way, two tests of what following costs

And a scribe, coming up,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν; εἷς almost an indefinite article: 'a certain scribe'

said to him:independent — the first candidate — a scribe, of all people, volunteers

'Teacher,content — verbless vocative — 'Teacher,' not 'Lord': in Matthew the outsider's address

I will follow youcontent — the unconditional pledge — confident, untested

wherever you go.'relative — indefinite local relative (ὅπου ἐάν + subjunctive) — 'wherever' is about to be priced

And Jesus says to him:independent — historic present — the sobering reply

'The foxes have holescontent — the proverb of shelter — even the beasts are housed

and the birds of the air nests,content — elliptical — ἔχουσιν carried over; the parallel colon

but the Son of Man does not havecontent — the first Son-of-Man saying in Matthew — the Dan 7:13 figure, homeless

anywhere to lay his head.'content — indirect deliberative question (ποῦ + subjunctive) — following means sharing the homelessness

vv. 21–22 — the disciple and the dead

And another, one of the disciples, said to him:independent — the second candidate — already 'of the disciples,' and asking for delay

'Lord,content — verbless vocative — the insider's address, unlike the scribe's διδάσκαλε

let me first go away and bury my father.'content — πρῶτον — the deeply pious duty of burial asked as a prior claim

But Jesus says to him:independent — historic present — the hardest saying

'Follow me,content — the present imperative — following now, not after

and leave the dead to bury their own dead.'content — the (spiritually) dead bury the (physically) dead — the kingdom's claim over even filial piety

The storm stilled 8:23–27

vv. 23–25 — the tempest, the sleeping Lord, the cry

And when he had gotten into the boat,participial — forward-leaning dative participle (agreeing with αὐτῷ below) — leans on ἠκολούθησαν

his disciples followed him.independent — ἠκολούθησαν — the discipleship verb of vv. 19–22, now enacted onto the water

And behold, a great storm arose on the sea,independent — σεισμός — an 'earthquake' of the sea; ἰδού springs the crisis

so that the boat was being covered by the waves;purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the swamping

but he himself was sleeping.independent — contrastive δέ with emphatic αὐτός — sovereign calm against the chaos (cf. Jonah 1:5)

And coming to him,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἤγειραν

they woke him,independent — the panic breaks in on the sleep

saying:participial — the speech-frame for the cry

'Lord,content — verbless vocative — κύριε even in panic (Mark: 'Teacher,' Luke: 'Master')

save!content — the bare aorist imperative — a prayer compressed to one word

we are perishing!'content — asyndeton — three beats, no connectives: faith and fear in one breath

vv. 26–27 — the double rebuke and the question

And he says to them:independent — historic present — the rebuke of the disciples comes first

'Why are you afraid, you of little faith?'content — ὀλιγόπιστοι — Matthew's word for disciple-faith that fails under pressure (6:30; 14:31; 16:8)

Then, rising,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐπετίμησεν; the sleeper stands

he rebuked the winds and the sea,independent — ἐπετίμησεν — the exorcism verb turned on the elements: chaos treated as a hostile power

and there was a great calm.independent — γαλήνη μεγάλη answers σεισμὸς μέγας (v. 24) — YHWH's mastery of the sea (Ps 107:29)

And the men marveled,independent — ἐθαύμασαν — the amazement Jesus felt at v. 10 now turned on him

saying:participial — the speech-frame for the closing question

'What sort of man is this,content — the christological question — the scene's whole point, left ringing

that even the winds and the sea obey him?'content — epexegetic ὅτι unfolding ποταπός — obedience of wind and wave is, in the OT, God's alone

The Gadarene demoniacs — deliverance rejected 8:28–34

vv. 28–29 — the demoniacs and the confession

And when he had come to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; Γαδαρηνῶν printed against Γερασηνῶν/Γεργεσηνῶν, the chapter's principal textual crux

two demon-possessed men met him,independent — Matthew's pair (Mark and Luke have one) — Gentile ground, and the unclean come out to meet him

coming out of the tombs,participial — the tombs — the abode of death and uncleanness

exceedingly fierce,phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the danger named

so that no one was able to pass by that road.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): the road closed

And behold, they cried out,independent — the shriek — the demons speak through the men

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the confession

'What have we to do with you, Son of God?content — verbless idiom (cf. 1 Kgs 17:18; Mark 1:24) — the demons confess what people cannot see

Have you come here before the time to torment us?'content — πρὸ καιροῦ — they know the appointed judgment and dread it early; βασανίσαι echoes v. 6

vv. 30–32 — the swine: the petition and the plunge

Now at some distance from them a herd of many pigs was feeding.independent — periphrastic imperfect — the scene-detail: unclean animals, marking Gentile territory

And the demons kept begging him,independent — iterative imperfect — they cannot act at all without his permission

saying:participial — the speech-frame for the petition

'If you cast us out,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — first-class εἰ: the expulsion conceded as fact; leans on ἀπόστειλον

send us into the herd of pigs.'content — the apodosis-petition — the swine begged as a refuge

And he said to them:independent — the answer — one word follows

'Go.'content — the exorcism compressed to a single imperative — no formula, bare authority

And they, coming out,participial — preposed aorist participle — the expulsion enacted; leans on ἀπῆλθον

went away into the pigs;independent — the permission used — the demons take their granted refuge

and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea,independent — the plunge — the demons' deadly intent made visible in the herd

and they died in the waters.independent — the sea that obeyed him (v. 27) swallows the destroyers

vv. 33–34 — the report, and the city begs him to leave

And the herdsmen fled,independent — the eyewitnesses scatter

and going away into the city,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀπήγγειλαν

they reported everything, including the things concerning the demon-possessed.independent — both losses and deliverance carried to town — the swine and the saved men in one report

And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus,independent — ὑπάντησις echoes ὑπήντησαν (v. 28) — the city meets him as the demoniacs did

and seeing him,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on παρεκάλεσαν

they begged himindependent — παρεκάλεσαν — the demons' verb (v. 31) now on the citizens' lips

that he would depart from their region.content — ὅπως-complement after a verb of asking — the ironic close: swine valued over salvation; deliverance met with rejection

Analysis. Matthew 8 descends from the Sermon's mountain into a cycle of mighty works, and the layout shows Matthew's tight narrative economy: the mainline verbs run flush left in purple, coordinated by καί and δέ (real coordination, never falsely nested), while the historic presents that quicken the dialogue (λέγει, vv. 4, 7, 20, 22, 26) are flagged as they land. Against that column two things indent. First, the scene-setting genitive absolutes and preposed participles that lean forward, anchor-less, on the verb below (Καταβάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, Εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πέραν) — Matthew's hinge device, opening the leper, centurion, evening-healing, and Gadarene scenes alike. Second, speech, which always hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying, one clause per line: the leper's plea with the chapter's first conditional (ἐὰν θέλῃς leaning forward on δύνασαί), answered word for word by θέλω, καθαρίσθητι; the centurion's confession, whose καὶ γάρ ground unfolds into a miniature catena of quoted commands (πορεύθητι — ἔρχου — ποίησον τοῦτο), each order hanging beneath its own elliptical addressee; the two discipleship sayings, including Matthew's first Son-of-Man word (v. 20, echoing Dan 7:13); the disciples' three-beat asyndetic cry κύριε, σῶσον, ἀπολλύμεθα; and the demons' petition with the second in-speech protasis (εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς leaning on ἀπόστειλον). At the chapter's center stands the fulfilment formula (v. 17), shaped as chapter 1 fixed it: ὅπως πληρωθῇ as purpose one step under ἐθεράπευσεν, and the citation — Isa 53:4, rendered closer to the Hebrew than the LXX, so that the healings are located inside the Servant's vicarious mission — as content beneath λέγοντος. Cruxes the layout inherits rather than resolves: v. 7 may be read as offer ('I will come and heal him') or as indignant question ('Am I to come...?'), the former followed and the tag naming both; at v. 18 the editions divide over ὄχλον against ὄχλους/πολὺν ὄχλον; at v. 28 Γαδαρηνῶν stands where Γερασηνῶν and Γεργεσηνῶν compete, the chapter's principal textual crux; and the storm-stilling is tagged for its OT resonance (Ps 107:23–30; Jonah 1), so that the men's ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτος; presses toward the more-than-human answer the layout leaves them asking.